Pear and Blackberry Almond Cake

During the Summer months, I pretty much leave my oven dial set squarely in the “OFF” position. I occasionally break the rules to bake up a batch of perfectly moist muffins. Or if there is some emotional crisis that calls for chocolate therapy, then a pan of fudgy brownies is a fair trade for a little brow sweat. But other than that, it’s kind of not worth the risk of turning my kitchen into Satan’s den.

Which is why I was starting to get just a teeny tiny bit excited about Fall baking. I even had big plans for this past weekend: blondies, sticky buns and cookies were all on the menu. But then it ended up being crazy hot and humid here. So my oven dial stayed put. Which is kind of a shame. But probably better for my waistline in the long run, if I’m being completely honest with myself.

However, I did manage to sneak in this Pear and Blackberry Almond Cake last week when we had a cooler day. And I’m super excited to share the recipe with you guys today.

I find that pears are so underused in the Fall. Everyone is in some kind of pumpkin-induced delirium. Which causes pears (and even apples) to get overlooked. So I always try to give them a little bit of loving when I get the chance. These pear and ginger scones and this sweet potato and pear soup are two of my personal favorites from last year, if you’re at all interested.

This cake is the perfect way to highlight seasonal pears and blackberries. And it feels kind of like a transitional cake. Not too heavy, not too light. With notes of both Summer and Fall flavors. You could serve this cake for brunch. Or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. I don’t think you can really go wrong here. I definitely had a slice or two for breakfast!

Make sure to buy pears that are ripe, but still firm. If they are overly ripe, they will release a lot of juice and the cake directly underneath the pears will turn out a bit on the gummy side. And that’s no bueno.

I’m sharing my Pear and Blackberry Almond Cake as part of our monthly #eatseasonal round-up organized by Becky from Vintage Mixer. Check out Becky’s September produce guide for the low down on what’s in season this month (there is A LOT!). And see what some of my blogging friends made this month to celebrate September’s bounty of fruits and vegetables. The links are below!

3 pears, peeled, halved and cored (make sure they are ripe but still firm)

3/4 cups blackberries

1/3 cup sliced almonds

Powdered sugar for serving, if desired

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper. Then generously coat the parchment paper and the sides of the springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup of the sugar and the butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then beat in the yogurt, lemon zest and the extracts.

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the cake batter, adding in about one-third at a time, mixing on low speed until no more white streaks remain.

Spread the cake batter into your prepared springform pan, making sure the top is even. The batter will be thick and a bit tacky. Arrange the pears, cut side up, on top of the batter, pressing them down slightly into the batter. Sprinkle the pears with the remaining 1 tsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon. Top with the blackberries and sliced almonds.

Transfer the cake to your pre-heated oven and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove the cake form the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, run a knife around the outer edge of the cake and release the sides of the springform pan. Cut the cake into slices and serve with a dusting of powder sugar, if desired.

The cake is best served the day it’s made, but it can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Just gorgeous Liz! I totally agree…always an over abundance of pumpkin and not nearly enough pear sweets! I’m sure I’d be enjoying this one for breakfast or dessert! There goes the waistline, but so well worth it!

When I saw this on IG, I nearly fell over! Love the combination of blackberries and pears, Liz. I’ve already picked up some pears from the farmers market, so I’m looking forward to baking with them too (the pears seem so early!). We’ve still got lots of blackberries on the vines so I’ve got time for another round of picking. The yogurt and almond meal make this cake’s crumb sublime – sooo good! While I love pumpkin, it does get so much more attention than pears. So happy to see them here! Gorgeous photog Liz!

Liz, this cake is just so darn pretty! I have been drooling over your photo since I first saw it in the collage. 🙂 I’m going to make a gluten-free version of your recipe. I’ll let you know how it goes. Blackberries and pears are primo together!

I have no idea why pears are so underrated, but I guess that means more for us, right? I love baking with pears and they’re so great with blackberries….this cake is right up my alley! It looks so moist and I love that you used almonds in the cake and on top for a crunch. Gorgeous cake and I’d love a big slice right now!

Hi Luisa! I would just thaw them out before hand. If you top the cake with them while still frozen, I’d be worried that they would release a lot of liquid during baking and make the top of the cake mushy.

The batter rose and covered up the blackberries and pears. I did slice the pears thin, though. I was worried about putting entire halves of pears onto the batter. That’s why I sliced them this. I wish I could send a picture because the cake just looks like a plain browned cake. Do you really put entire half of pears on top of the batter before baking the cake?

Hi Alli, Yes I really put an entire half pear on the top of the batter before baking. Just like the instructions say. I hope the cake still tasted good, even if it didn’t come out looking how you expected.